how to get them to lay in the coop again

[mustangsaguaro]

I allow my chickens to free range during the day. For awhile they will lay in the coop where they get locked up at night and they have nest areas where they can lay. For about a week or two they will lay in the coop then all of a sudden I don't get eggs for a week. Well, I know they are laying but definately not in the coop. I have some orders I have to fill. And what I have done is I will lock them in the coop until they lay and then let them out. Up until today I was pretty much home full time so could check multiple times a day and let whoever laid an egg out. Today I started a job full time so can no longer do that. I can only do the locking up and letting out on the weekends. Over this past weekend they were locked in the coop until they laid eggs for me then I let them out. Well, today I get home and out of 7 that are currently free ranging I only got 2 eggs. Wondering if I should just keep them locked up in the coop until I get home and then only let them out if they've laid eggs for me. It's just so frustrating having to go on a easter egg hunt. I live on 7acres and they access on a regular basis maybe 2-2 1/2 of those 7 acres. So, they could be laying just about anywhere. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I do have 2 hens that do lay in a regular place where I know the eggs are. The other 5 are a who the heck knows. Would keeping a fake egg in all the nest boxes help? I have like 4 places where everyone can lay in the coop. In the past I have seen up to 3 hens in one box trying to lay. It is quit comical seeing 3 fighting (not literally) for the same box.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated to still allow them to free range but yet get them to lay in the coop.

Thanks

 

[crumptz]

Would you consider making a run so they would at least be contained on the days you can't be home? We make temporary runs with stakes and plastic fencing that can be easily moved on the farm I work at. We don't cover the run since we move it every other week. Seems to work well... just an idea.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

Right now I really couldn't make a temporary run. The way my coop is setup is it originally was setup for Parrotts, thus no outside runs. The coop will be renovated hopefully by the end of this year and I will be able to make runs then. Right now there are separate pens some small, some large in the coop that get utilized at night where they put themselves to bed at. When I had the hens penned up until they laid they (5 of them) are in one of the ones that are larger. I guess my only option at this point is to just keep them cooped up until I get home and then let them out to roam for a few hours.